SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

1. Sustainable Construction Materials & Technology in Context
with Sustainable Development.
Author 1
[Ar.Kaanchan M. Patil]
[Architect &Chartered Civil Engineer],
Practicing Architect
Associate Professor at Smt. Premalatai Chavan College Of Architecture,
Wagheri, Karad.District-Satara, Maharashtra State, India.
Author 2
[Er.Mahendraa S. Patil.]
[Chartered Civil Engineer & Govt. Approved Valuer]
Engineering Consultant at
"Space Makers"A Design Unit of Engineers, Architects & Environmentalists.
"Rahul Empire", Flat 1,1st
Floor, Opp. D.S.P. Office, Sangli-Miraj State highway,
Vishrambaug, Sangli, Maharashtra State, India.
AbstractIn India tremendous environmental
problems are arising in construction industry due to
rapid urbanization. Increase in demand of residential
dwelling units which leads to consume more energy,
resources, raw materials which are responsible for the
rise in the carbon footprint. All metros are already
facing environmental impact issues such as change in
weather pattern, destruction of ecology.The solution
lies in the sustainable development use of sustainable
materials & technologies. Sustainable development is
the one which meets the needs of present without
compromising the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs.This paper elaborates the
concept of sustainable development that has come to
the fore front in the last twenty years. This
development is achievable through use of sustainable
construction materials & technology. The concept
recognizes that human civilization is an integral part
of natural world & that nature must be preserved,
perpetuated if the human community itself is to
survive.
Sustainable development articulates this idea through
designs that exemplify the principals of conservation
& encourages the application of those principals in
our daily lives.Sustainable development must use an
alternative approach to the traditional design. The new
approach must recognize impacts of every material &
technology choice on natural & cultural resources of
the local regional & global environments.
KeywordsSustainable Development, Sustainable
Materials, Sustainable Technologies, Embodied
Energy, Recycle, Reuse, Bio-Degradable, Life Cycle
Design , conservation.CO2emission.
IntroductionThe pursuit of sustainable development
brings the built environment and construction
industryinto sharp relief. It is a well-known fact that
the construction industry is a major contributor to
socio-economic development in most of the countries
(C.I.B, 1999) [1]
. Statistics show thatthe construction
industry normally constitutes more than half of the
total national capitalinvestment, and represents as
much as 10% of G.N.P. in every country (C.I.C.A.&
U.N.E.P.2002) [2]
. The building and construction
industry makes a major contribution to the
consumption of resource, for example, in the
European Union, buildings are responsible for more
than 40% of total energy consumption and the
construction sector is estimated to generate
approximately 40% of all manmade waste
(C.I.B.,1999)[1].
Sustainable construction development
has become a major subject of policy, research and
innovation, globally. Green building movements in
India are Establishment ofinstitutions by Formation
ofIGBC, TERI launch of LEED and TERI-GRIHA [3]
.
The sustainable development uses locally available
building materials which are energy efficient and
durable. It provides an opportunity to living
inhabitants to live with healthy, comfortable
conditions throughout the buildings full life cycle.
The life cycle consists of material production,
construction planning, design, construction, operation
and maintenance processes. The objective of
sustainability is to achieve efficient use of
resources,viz. energies, water, and construction
materials with minimum impact on the environment
of buildings.However, because of the complexity of
sustainability and the fragmentationof the
construction industry, the level of implementation of
sustainable construction practices isstill low.At a
conceptual level, sustainable construction can be
divided into four dimensions:[4]
,
1.Economical,2.Social3.Environmental and
4.Technical. Economic sustainability includes the use
of full-cost accounting methods and real-costpricing
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2. to set the prices and tariffs of goods and services to
achieve a more efficient useof resource
Figure 1: Conceptual level representation of
sustainable development
Social sustainability highlights improvement in the
quality of human life, and the humanliving
environment, which includes culture, health,
education, and intergenerationalequity.Environmental
sustainability includes the notion that sustainable
construction needs to protectthe natural environment
rather than pollute it by encouraging the use of
renewable resource and reducing the use of water,
energy, materials and land at each stage of
project.Technical sustainability requires high
performance, durability, quality and mixed use of a
building.This paper examines the concepts of
sustainable development by adoption of sustainable
construction materials and technologies. To be more
particular we have shortlisted five sustainable
materials.
Defining Sustainability
Buildings areby far the greatest producers of harmful
gases such as CO2and this 'eco footprint can only
increase with the largepopulation growth predicted to
occur by 2050 [5]
.
Sustainability in construction is all about
followingsuitable practices in terms of choosing
materials, theirsources and construction
methodologies as well as designphilosophy, so as to
be able to improve performance,decrease the
environmental burden of the project, minimizewaste
and be ecologically friendlier, taking into
consideration environmental, socio-economic and
cultural values.All materials are ultimately derived
from thebio-geo-sphere. They are everything between
the take andwaste and are the key to sustainability.
The choice ofmaterials for construction controls
whole of life cycle impacts such as emissions, gross
take, properties of wastesreturned to the bio-geo-
sphere, use of recycled wastes andtheir own
recyclability. Materials also strongly influencelifetime
energies, user comfort and durability [6]
.
Countries with mature economies are in the position
of beingable to devote greater attention to creating
more sustainablebuildings by upgrading the existing
building stock throughthe application of new
developments or the invention and useof innovative
technologies for energy and material savings.While
developing countries are more likely to focus on
socialequality and economic sustainability, [7].
Material selection profoundly affects manyvalue
properties relevant to sustainability including
weight,embodied energies, fuel related and chemical
emissions,lifetime energies, user comfort and health,
use of cycledwastes, durability, recyclability and the
properties of wastesreturned to the geosphere-
biosphere.
Figure 2:Schematic representation of upstream to
downstream flow of products, energy in the building
eco-system
Technology can make it possible to achieve after
greater measure of sustainability, to economically
reduce,re-use and recycle. The potential multipliers
from spendingon research and development are huge
[6].
Identifies technologies which can be used during
construction to improve efficiency and reduce waste
[8].
As long as sustainability in construction projects is
considered it is generally achieved by, [8]
:1) Defining
clear goals sympathetic to sustainability issues.
2) Concentrated effort at design stage to achieve
thesegoals.3) Focusing on decisions like site selection,
building layout,design etc.4) Choosing the right
materials which are recyclable aftertheir useful lives.
5) Choosing the right methods of construction in
terms ofenergy and resource efficiency.6) Creating an
efficient and integrated building envelopeharnessing
the gifts of nature.
Methodology
Careful selection of environmentally sustainable
buildingmaterials is the easiest way for architects to
begin incorporatingsustainable design principles in
buildings. Traditionally,price has been the foremost
consideration when comparingsimilar materials or
materials designated for the same function.
However, the “off-the-shelf” price of a building
componentrepresents only the manufacturing and
transportation costs,not social or environmental costs.
The three principles of sustainability in architecture.
1) Economy of Resources:It is concerned with the
reduction, reuse,and recycling of the natural resources
that are input to abuilding.
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3. 2) Life Cycle Design:Itprovides a methodology
foranalyzing the building process and its impact on
the environment.
3) Humane Design: Itfocuses on the interactions
between humans and the natural world. These
principles can provide a broad awareness of the
environmental impact, both local and global, of
architectural consumption.
Figure 3: The three principals of sustainability
Each of these principles embodies a unique set of
strategies.Studying these strategies leads to more
thoroughunderstanding of architecture’s interaction
with the greaterenvironment. This allows further
disaggregating and analyzing specific methods
architects can apply to reduce theenvironmental
impact of the buildings they design. [9]
Life Cycle Design
A “cradle-to-grave” analysis of building products,
from thegathering of raw materials to their ultimate
disposal, providesa better understanding of the long-
term costs of materials. These costs are paid not only
by the client, but also by theowner, the occupants, and
the environment.
The principles of Life Cycle Design provide
important guidelinesfor the selection of building
materials..
Figure 4: The sustainable building life cycle
A material’s life cycle can be organized into three
phases:Pre-Building; Building; and Post-Building.
Humane Design Strategies:
An essential role of architecture is to provide
builtenvironments that sustain occupant’ssafety,
health, physiologicalcomfort, psychological well-
being, and productivity.The following three strategies
for humane design focus onenhancing the coexistence
between buildings and the greaterenvironment, and
between buildings and their occupants,
1) Preservation of Natural Conditions
2) Urban Design and Site Planning
3) Human Comfort
Sustainable Building Material
Sustainable building materials can be defined as
materials with overall superior performance in terms
of specified criteria. For Selection of Sustainable
building materials the following criteria are
commonly used:
1.Locally produced and sourced materials 2.Transport
costs and environmental impact 3.Thermal efficiency
4.Occupant needs and health considerations
5. Financial viability 6. Recyclability of building
materials and the demolished building 7. Waste and
pollution generated in the manufacturing process
8. Energy required in the manufacturing process
9. Use of renewable resources 10.Toxic emissions
generated by the product 11.Maintenance costs
Few of the materials are described below
1) Lime:
Lime is our chief material which replaces the cement
in building construction. It gives the good air quality
by absorbingthe carbon and emitting oxygen in the
atmosphere. The cost of lime is comparatively less
than that of Cement. Life span of lime building is
much more as comparedto cement building.
[10]
Depending on the mix of aggregate and water
hydrated lime can be used to manufacture a lime
Concrete, mortar, plaster or stuccoColor Lime Plaster.
Figure 5: Lime Plaster
The Volatile Organic Compounds (paints) are
available by using coloured lime plaster as paint. It
reduces the painting for whole structural life. It is
maintenance free, washable and water proof. Its shine
and glossiness increases as the time passes. It gives
better aesthetics look than conventional painting
work.
2) Fly Ash Bricks:Fly ash is one of the naturally-
occurring by products from the coal combustion
process and is a material that is nearly the same as
volcanic ash.
There are following types of fly ash bricks :
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4. 1. Fly ash Lime/Gypsum Bricks
2. Clay Fly Ash Bricks
3. Sand Fly Ash Bricks
4.Red Mud- Fly ash bricks
Figure 6: Fly Ash Blocks
Environmental and Social Benefits Of Using Fly
AshBricks:
The environmental and social benefits of using Fly
ash bricks and its positive environmental effects are:1.
Eliminate carbon emissions. 2. Saves top soil.
3. Source of all the year round employment.
4. Prevention of dumping of fly ash in ponds.
3)Eco-Friendly Tiles:
An Eco-friendly tile replaces the conventional
flooring and uses less energy in their production. It is
cheap as compared to the conventional tile. They are
available as per the client requirement in various
patterns and also easy to place. Thistile improves
performance of indoor environment quality.Eco-
friendly tiles are cheap in cost as compared to regular
tiles; these tilesare manufactured on the construction
site so that its transportation charges are reduced.
Figure 7: Eco-friendly tiles
4) Bamboo:
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth.It is a
member of the grass family and can be found in many
regions throughout the world in a diverse range of
climates from cold mountains to hot tropical regions
(11).
As a natural cellulose fiber, bamboo fabric can be
100% biodegraded in soil by microorganisms and
sunlight” (12)
showing that not only is bamboo an
environmentally sustainable natural resource but also
that disposal of the material has no damaging effect
on the environment.Bamboo provides bamboo
products suitable for use as roofing or cladding
materials.
In Asian countries, it is used as a substitute to steel
reinforcement in concrete and more recently bamboo
has been manufactured for use as household flooring
systems whereby the bamboo is steamed, flattened
and glued together into flooring panels.
Figure 8: Bamboo as material
5) Ferro Cement:
Ferrocement has a very high tensile strength to weight
ratio and superior cracking behaviorin comparison to
reinforced concrete. Prefabricated ferrocement cavity
walls present a series of possibilities for the solution
of building construction at maximum reduction of the
electrical energy.
Advantages of ferrocement as a construction material
may be summarized as follow: 1. Very high quality
control. 2. Pre-Fabricated products. 3. Easy
production and installation.4. Shading devices to
provide shading and day lighting to the building (use
light weight and low cost environmental element).
5. Fast construction. 6. Manpower can be easily
trained at site. 7. Improved structural performance.
8. Cost reduction, 15-50% cheaper than conventional
techniques. 9. Less maintenance. 10. Reduction in
dead weight, 50-75% lighter than conventional
techniques
Figure 9: Buildings constructed with ferrocement
Sustainable Construction Techniques With
green building becoming a critical part of today’s
world, more and more new construction
technologiesare being developed to keep upwith this
escalating shift to sustainability. The followinglist is
the commonly adopted some of the techniques
recognized in sustainable construction: 1.Low volatile
organic compounds (V.O.C.) paint.2.Plywood
processed without using formaldehyde.3.Install big
windows that provide plenty of fresh air and natural
light.4.Install energy and water efficient appliances.
5. Install low-emitting carpet.6.Proper site selection
and prevention of pollution on the construction site.
Following is brief discussion about sustainable
technology adopted in context to the sustainable
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5. development.1) WaterSystems Store, Recycle,
Reuse [12]
This includes using lowwater use
appliances, toilets, and faucets, recycling grey water
(water produced by sinks, showers, and laundry), and
eliminating irrigation. Recycled grey water can be
used to irrigate the landscape rather than being
discharged into the municipal sewer system.Flush
Toilets: These Specialized Water Saving Toilets
produces a 10 to 15 Liters per flush toilet,some
speciality flush systems save 90% water savings
compared to conventional toilets. Composting
Toilets: These can reduce the waste volume by 90%.
When human wastesare mixed with enough plant
matter (i.e.kitchen scraps, garden wastes, etc.) and
when exposed to enough air, will decompose and
become nutrient-rich fertilizer.Water Heating:All
water pipes, cold and hot, should also beinsulated. A
bottom board can also be installedbeneath the heater
to prevent the loss of heatinto the floor. A timer can
be installed on the tank toautomatically turn it off at
night when thehot water is not needed. · A tankless
heater or “demand” heater can beused. Solar energy
can be used to help supplementthe energy input
required.Solar Water Heating:In this system the
panelscollect heat from the sun and transfer it to
aglycol solution in copper coils. The coilstravel to a
heat exchanger to deliver heat tothe water tank.Simple
steps can be taken to reduceenergy consumption:
Insulate the water tank, insulate the interior/exterior
piping, install water-saving fixtures,and lower the
thermostat setting. Solar Water Heating Systems:Most
systems use flat plate collectors thatare mounted to
face the sun.
a)Closed Loop Systemsb) Thermo siphoning
c)Open Loop Systemsd) Drain Back Systems
e) Batch Heater Systems
2) Heating, Cooling, andVentilation [12]
In this new
technique there is pushtowards using an integrated
mechanical system.This means that space heating and
cooling, waterheating, ventilation, and heat recovery
worktogether as one unit. Furthermore, energy
efficient air tight homes require a ventilation system
to retain high indoorair quality.The mechanical
system provides space heating, waterheating, passive
solar storage, heat recoveryfrom grey water, and
partial cooling. It isbased on a heat recovery pump
that movesheat between an ice water storage tank and
ahot water tank. In the winter, heat isextracted from
the ice water and delivered tothe hot water tank.
Space heatingrequirements are met via a fan coil unit.
3] Indoor Air QualityThe best strategy for
improving indoor airquality is through controlling the
pollutantsat their source.Sustainable ways to improve
indoor Air Quality are 1.Select low-emission
materials,2. Plants as Environmental AirCleaners
4)Use Sustainable Building MaterialsIf building a
green home is your goal, then usingenvironmentally
or eco-friendly products should be on your list which
can reduce the impactof construction on the
environment. Each and every part of house such as
roofingmaterial, building material, cabinets, counters
and insulation to flooring should beenvironmentally
friendly. Use products such as reclaimed lumber,
recycled plastic, recycledglass or natural products
such as bamboo, cork and linoleum which are made of
natural,renewable materials.
5) Cool RoofsA cool roof is a roof designed to
maintain a lower surface temperature in bright
sunshine than a traditional roof. The surface of a cool
roof reflects more sunlight and releases more heat
than a so-called hot or dark roof.
6) Zero-energy Buildings [13]
Zero-energy buildings are speciallydesigned and
engineered to rely on renewable sources of energy,
such as solar and wind power, allowing them to
operateindependent of the electric grid. This green
scheme not only saves energy, but it also prevents
additional greenhouse gasemissions.A zero-energy
design utilizes solar cells and panels, wind turbines,
and biofuels, among others, to provide for the
building’selectricity and HVAC needs.
Discussion
The role of materials for greater sustainability is
discussed.A number of ways are suggested to make
the constructionindustry more sustainable including
reducing the energy ittakes to run buildings (lifetime
energy), reducing the highlevel of waste in
Construction, utilizing wastes to make construction
Materials, reducing emissions during the production
ofbuilding materials, sequestering carbon by utilizing
carboncontaining materials and building using more
durablematerials. There are no economic
disadvantages of any ofthese methods and some; such
a reducing embodied energiesare clearly economic.
Underlying all is technological change,particularly in
relation to materials.Materials are the key to
sustainability in the builtenvironment and innovative
new materials will allow architects and engineers to
build structures that have greatervalue as they are
more pleasing to use, live in or look at, healthier and
much more sustainable.
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6. Technology can make it possible to achieve a far
greatermeasure of sustainability, to economically
reduce, re-use andrecycle.
Future Scope:
1) Technological innovation in the field of automation
with higher level of micro-processor based controlling
systems leads to better performance of technologies
like solar panels, Integrated HVAC & Electrical
systems.2) In context to the Indian scenario new
experimentation for the application of agro-waste as
substitute for the sustainable construction material
shall be explored.3) Non-conventional materials for a
sustainable construction material with bio-
construction system reinforced with cellulose fibers
can be considered. Example of such system can be
metakaolin +lime + hemphurds + waste paper pulp in
place of conventional concrete.4) A digital computer
based sustainable design tool for the building material
applications for a particular building project involves
integrated design approach. This involves Life Cycle
Analysis based on CAD model. However present
technological limitations do not provide a
correct/optimum solution to the problem.
Advancements in algorithm & more realistic data for
the analysis engine can fine tune such tools. It will
change the scenario of present building design
technology.
Conclusion
Sustainable building materials are those which are
produced or sourced locally. These materials are
containing recycled & industrial waste materials and
byproducts. Sustainable materials have a lower impact
on environment & are thermally efficient. The
production of these building materials require
considerable less amount of energy in production
when compared to the modern or traditional
construction materials.
The advantages in selection of sustainable building
material lies in the fact that they are not only
economically viable but also reduce toxic emissions
thereby reduce overall environment impact.
Sustainable building material & technology should be
utilized appropriately & contextually in each
neighborhood development. The use of sustainable
material & technology not only reduces transport &
production cost, carbon emissions but also provides
avenues for employment & skill development for
community members.
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[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/bamboo
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building the environmentally advanced house ,
amdenhouse,CamdenEast
ON[13](http://www.triplepundit.com/2013/11/title-
24-launches-california-net-energy-buildings/)
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